WIPs for This Week

I have had a fairly busy old week on the stitching front so thought I'd share the WIPs I've been stitching on. I'm not showing HAED quick stitch Dragonette yet as I still have tonight to stitch on that before I move onto Chatelaine Lavender Mandala for the weekend.

So here is LHN Chocolate Shoppe from Wednesday afternoon for the unofficial SAL on the LHN Yahoo board. I have really enjoyed getting back to this and love the way it is looking. I think I am probably way behind and I know some of the girls have finished theirs but I will get there in the end! Lol! Not sure when I'll pick it up again as the girls finish school today and have two weeks off.

Next I have been stitching a few afternoons on the 4th part of Chatelaine Christmas Mystery IV and I am really sorry to say that I don't like this part at all. I know it's a mystery but I really wasn't expecting anything like this and it's going to have to be something pretty special next time for me to have the enthusiasm to carry on. Having said that I can't afford not to carry on with it after buying the metallics and bead pack. I am just thankful that I didn't buy all the silks. Sorry for the crooked scan! I am almost finished with this part. I just have the square rhodes stitches to do in the girls dress. I have to say that this has certainly put me off doing more Chatelaine mysteries. I would much rather wait and see and watch the design unfold before I decide in future. I certainly wish now that I'd waited and maybe done one of her mandalas instead.

I was going to have another new HAED start this week but I think I'll wait now until the girls have gone back to school. I have got myself a Floss Faery as I need a few skeins of each colour for this HAED and have my fabby ready to grid! Yes I know I said no new HAED starts until I'd finished both QS's BUT this pieces is something I really feel the need to stitch at the moment. All will be revealed when I make a start!

We have had some expense with our car! As you know we've had the windscreen replaced but thankfully our insurance covered that and we just had the excess to pay. Monday DH decides to go get two pieces of exhaust fitted ready for the MOT. It ended up with a full exhaust! It also needs the timing belt replacing so that's another £100 at the local garage, then MOT at about £50! So by the time we've finished we'll have spent around £370! So no stash for me for a while now. I am waiting for some from Mary Kathryn and Jayne so at least I'll have some to look forward to!

Jess did the first part of her Art GCSE yesterday. She made me laugh because she'd finished in the 5 1/2 hours they'd had yesterday so now has to find something else for the remaining 5 1/2 hours! Her piece was a modern day Hades and the underworld!

I am feeling much happier today although I did have a bad few days earlier in the week. I am hoping to get to the health shop my sister shops at soon so that I can get something. Just not sure what to go for yet.

Weekend Stitching

I wasn't sure whether to blog or not today but as I have a couple of stitching WIPs I decided I would.

On Saturday I started Chatelaine Lavender Mandala from the October 2006 issue of The Gift of Stitching. Lisa, Julie and I are doing a SAL on this and are stitching on weekends on it. I was unsure on what fabric to use for mine but my Ebay win from Sugar Maple Fabrics arrived on Saturday ( just in time!) so I chose a piece called Violets in the Shade from those. The scan really does not show how pretty the fabric is. I love this piece and can't wait to stitch on it again. I think this may well leave me itching to do a bigger mandala and my Mini Mandalas 1 chart should be here soon so it could be one of those! Who knows after that! Lol!

Seen as I'd finished page 3 of HAED Summer ACEO before the end of my rotation I decided to stitch a little bit more on Papillon Creations Serendipity on Friday night and I made a start on page 3. I got all the cross stitching done apart from the bit I'm stitching in metallic plus the queen stitches. These were much easier to do than the ones on Chatelaine Summer Afternoon! I am loving this piece so much. I might see if I can those metallic stitches added this week.

On Saturday, as I said, I received my Ebay win from Mindy at Sugar Maple Fabrics. The pieces are gorgeous and like they are all 28 count ( only one is marked as it). I received a COTM piece which is a beautiful greeny shade, Tree Tops which is blue ( had this before and it is lovely), Gelati which is a lovely mix of colours plus Violets in the Shade which I have already mentioned. I also received my silks from Vicki Clayton and they are so pretty. So that's my stash haul for now! I do have more to come soon:)

The 4th part of Chatelaine Christmas Mystery IV was released yesterday and I'm sorry to say I'm not sure about this bit before I even start stitching it! lol! It's in the inner frame and it's a little girl with a cat in her arms with a doll and a church at her feet. I am sure it will be fine once it's stitched but it's not what I was expecting but it is a mystery! I might make a start on it sometime this week in an afternoon. Won't be this afternoon as I've been messing about too much on here and I haven't got any veg prepared for tea yet!

I must admit that I haven't had a particularly good weekend. Friday night I had the most awful feeling of sheer exhaustion that I have had difficulty shaking off. One thing I hate doing is having a sleep during the day so I keep going rather than stop but don't get a good nights sleep when I go bed. I can't win. Saturday the tearfullness crept in and yesterday it turned to anger, loneliness and all the rest of it. My DH said one or two things that upset me and made me realise that I'm not likely to get much, if any, support from him. I have been searching for an online support group where I can go and get my feelings aired etc but I can't find one that is as active as I would like in the UK so I have joined one that is USA based. On there I actually found a list of 34 Signs of the Menopause and out of those 34 I have had at least 24 of them over the past few years. I really wish I had found this before then at least I'd have had some idea and not felt like I was going mad. It's times like this that I miss my Mum all the more and I feel so alone. Now I just need to sort out a natural alternative to HRT!

That's it from me today. Sorry if I've bored you. Maybe I should put an alert up when I go off stitching mode:)

Good News and Summer Update

Thank you to everybody who left messages for me yesterday and sent good wishes and hugs. I really appreciate them. I went to the doctors and it turns out I am anaemic, so I have iron tablets to take for 2 months at least, plus I am perimenopausal; in fact I am very close to being on the menopause. As you can imagine I am very relieved that it is not something serious plus relieved to finally know why I've been feeling the way I have been and why things have been happening the way they have. The only concern my doctor has with this is with me being relatively young I could be more prone to osteoporosis so he's going to get me booked in for a bone density scan. I am not worried by any of it as I'm just relieved to finally have some sort of diagnosis. My doctor was brilliant and explained stuff to me, asked me lots of questions and showed me my results on the PC and explained what they meant. He also broached the subject of HRT but I told him I didn't want to take it and told him about my auntie. He seemed quite happy with that so I asked him about the herbal stuff my sister took but he hadn't heard of it! Lol! He said I should be OK with it on the medication I'm on so I will try that when I get chance to get some. My sister also has a book which was given to her by her doctor so she is going to lend me that so I know what to expect etc! Does anybody know if any online support groups?

I must admit I was rather naughty yesterday afternoon as I stitched all afternoon to try and take my mind off everything that was going through my head. I decided on HAED Summer ACEO as I knew I'd need to concentrate hard on it, and although it didn't totally take my mind off things it did help. Last night I carried on with it and here is the result. Yep I have finished page 3!! Yippee! Only one full page and two bits to do! I am really pleased with her and think she looks fantastic! OK I know I'm blowing my own trumpet but really it's Sara Butcher's artwork and Michele of HAEDs charting skills that make it that way! Seen as I've got page 3 done I think I'll stitch on Papillon Creations Serendipity tonight then tomorrow Lisa, Julie and I are starting Chatelaine Lavender Mandala from The Gift of Stitching so I am looking forward to that. Part 3 of the Chatelaine Christmas Mystery is due out on Sunday but I might not do anything with that until the following weekend. Depends on what it's like and how much there is to do! Lol!

So that's it from me today. I just want to say special thanks to Lisa and Paula who were there for me yesterday on MSN and by email and were so supportive. {{{{{{hugs}}}}}} And to the girls on Stitch and Stash who wished me good luck and were thinking of me.

LHN Chocolate Shoppe

Yes I actually managed to stitch on LHN Chocolate Shoppe yesterday afternoon without any distractions! It was really nice to get back to it and I did get quite a bit done before I had to stop. So here it is!Finger's crossed I will get more done next week unless something comes up.It's stitched on 35 count fabric using DMC.

I am in a bit of a panic at the moment. As you know I had blood tests done on Monday and the results were going to be back next week. Well I've received a letter from the surgery this morning saying they are back and to make an appointment with the doctor to discuss them. So, as you can imagine, I am worried as they don't normally come back that quick unless there is something wrong. I am trying to think that it is something simple but it is not easy. Thankfully we have a different postie this week and he is much earlier than the other one so I managed to get an appointment for today but not until 5.20 this afternoon. Please keep your finger's crossed for me ( but obviously not if you're stitching!).

Weather Warnings & Flood Warnings!

Well we have certainly had our fair share of snow over the last couple of days but it had not stuck around. Yesterday when I was coming home from picking DH up from work we hit several big snow flurries and after we got in it came down for ages. Not only did we have weather warnings for snow and ice last night we also had flood warnings here due to high spring tides. Sure enough the sea has been over and the south promenade road has been closed for the clean up. I had a walk this morning and went that way and it was a right mess! Then there are plans to build houses and a nursing home down there! Lol! The land is very boggy as it is where they plan to build so what with that and dangers of high tides I wouldn't want to buy a house down there!


We didn't get the windscreen fitted yesterday firstly due to the weather and secondly because DH had told them over the phone that it was a clear screen, as he thought it was, but the fitter looked at it and it has a slight tint. So DH has made another apointment to get it done Friday, finger's crossed!

No stash post again today:( Hopefully it will arrive tomorrow although I'm not sure when my fabric from my Ebay win and the chart and fabric from Mary Kathryn were sent.


My DH is famous! Lol! Well only if you happen to read the Hull Daily Mail website! If you would like to take a look at him in action here is the link ( not much action Lol!) ! He is the one with his back to the camera (hiding his face!) in the high visability jacket and white hat. The girls said " You're not doing much Dad!" but he had been out directing traffic into the check site!


I want to get a good afternoon on LHN Chocolate Shoppe this afternoon as I'm a bit behind on this one. I am hoping my FIL doesn't turn up as he does sometimes when he's bored and has nothing to do! I feel like saying but I'm not bored and I have plenty to do so go away!


Going to catch up on blogs and forums!

Monday Catch-up!

I finally made a start on Papillon Creations Serendipity and got parts 1 & 2 stitched. I had a real hard time trying to decide on what colours to use; I had thread boxes all over and decided and changed my mind over and over! Lol! Even Abi was trying to help and in the end it was her and Jess and myself who came up with a plan! I wanted to use at least one metallic in it and purple as I just that colours. So here is the result! What do you think? It is stitched on 32 count cream evenweave using DMC 550 & 3350 and Kreinik #4 braid in 005 ( black or as near as!). I am really pleased with the colour combination and am looking forward to doing the next bit when I get chance. As you can see if you look closely I am doing the speciality stitches.

This week in my rotation it is the turn of HEAD Quick Stitch Summer ACEO. I am hoping to get page 3 finished this week and get a good start on page 4 if I can. I really have the stitching bug right now so need to get on while I have it! I must get back to LHN Chocolate Shoppe this Wednesday afternoon as I haven't stitched on it for the past two Wednesdays.

I feel in dire need of some new stash, as I really need a pick-me-up, so am hoping I get some of the stuff I have on order this week. My DMC from JJ's arrived today but that was pretty boring really! Lol! My Vicki Clayton silks are on the way and I am guessing that my order from Mary Kathryn is too. Just waiting for Jayne to get the stuff I ordered in and that'll be all my lovely new stash! Oh and the fabric I won on Ebay from Sugar Maple Fabrics!

I had a lovely Mother's Day yesterday. I had breakfast in bed, cards from both the girls and DH plus some Yankee Candles from Jessica and a little teddy with a pink t-shirt on with I Love My Mum on it from Abi. I spent the day basically slobbing! Lol!

I have been for my blood tests today and have to wait a week for the results to come back! I did not take a sample in for a pregnancy test and explained to the nurse why so she added a note so that the doctor could see why! Lol! While I was out we had one hell of a flurry of snow although it didn't stick. The wind was really howling up down the main street of the town which make walking rather difficult as I was walking up the street! I should really have called in at my Dad's but I had to come straight home ( won't go into details) so will have to venture out again in a bit.

I have to stay in tomorrow morning as we're having a new windscreen put in the car. I may have to take DH to work depending on whether he can get a lift in with his brother; it very much depends on what his brother is doing. They both work at the same place but do different jobs and aren't always in at the same time. DH discovered a small crack in the windscreen last Thursday and it has gradually got bigger but we couldn't get anybody out to it until tomorrow. Fortunately our insurance covers it so we're not going to be in for a huge bill.

Well better go and venture out again and take my Dad the lettuce he wanted me to get him!

Update on Summer Afternoon.

My stitching has been a bit slow this week. I have spent way too much time on the PC plus I'm onto the Queen Stitch bit on the beehive on Chatelaine Summer Afternoon and that has slowed me up considerably. I hate doing these in such close proximity and I know some of them are not done right but I refuse to frog them and start again!I would have loved to have got this bit finished but not to worry it'll get done next time! I do love the colours in this piece so far. I'm going to hang it with Winter's Eve when it's done then all I have to do is stitch the other two for the set! Lol!


I think Lisa, Julie and I are starting the Chatelaine Lavender Mandala from The Gift of Stitching next weekend. I will probably only be stitching it on the Saturday as part 4 ( I can't believe we're nearly at part 4!) of the Christmas mystery will be out on the Sunday. I haven't got the thread I chose for the mandala to sub for the Thread Gatherer Silk 'n' Colors yet but I can work round that until I do get it.


Something else I want to start, preferably today, is the Papillon Creations Serendipity chart. I did say I was going to stitch it in red, green and gold but I already have the Christmas mystery on the go in those colours. I think I might use a Dragon Floss for the main colour then pick two DMCs in similar shades. I am hoping I have some fabric big enough as well!I better have a look later!


I am also debating whether to sign up for the Polstitches SAL on Jo's forum as I have seen several WIP pics of it. It is a very pretty design but there's no way I'd be stiching along with everybody else as I have too much on the go at the moment. I could always save it for a later date though! I quite fancy trying some hardanger again.


That's all for today. Hope everybody is prepared for the snow we're supposed to be getting in the UK!

My New Hairstyle!

For those who asked ( nagged! LOL!) here is a couple of piccies of me with my new hairstyle. I must say that I absolutely love this style and think Vicky did a great job. It was in a bob before almost to my shoulders and this has given it so much more body. I have been smiling to myself nearly all day! Lol! I got a fantastic reaction off Abi when she came in! She went totally bonkers as she loved it so much! DH says I look sexy ( oo-er!) and Jess was a bit oblivious then suddenly looked at me and said "Oooh I like you hair!!". I have some pennies left over so next buy will be some new boots!

So no stitching done as yet today. I have chosen some threads for the Papillon Creations Serendipity chart of which 6 parts of the 9 have been released so far. To get the parts of the chart you have to sign up for their newsletter on the website. It is very pretty so far and uses just three colours. I have chosen three of the DMC Variations to stitch it with in red, green and a goldy colour. I don't know when I'll start it but it looks very easy to stitch.

Poor Abi had a bit of a mishap in Games at school today. She tripped over a hockey stick and went all her length badly grazing her knee and hip in the process and ripped her jogging bottoms. She's got huge plasters on the grazes and is feeling rather sore. She was a real trouper though as she played the game and scored 3 goals although she admitted she just stood near the goal leaning on her hockey stick until anybody came near her! Lol!

Hope everybody is having a good week so far!

Stash Shopping

Yes you read that title right I have been stash shopping! The reason behind this is my Dad had a lottery win at the weekend but you before you get excited it was £10! Lol! Anyway I picked up his winnings today, got his lottery for tonight and Saturday then paid his papers. After that I went to his house to see if he'd found the pot we use on my Mum's grave as I was taking some flowers for Mother's Day. While I was there he was going to give me the money for his lottery and papers so I said I'd used his winnings so didn't need it. He said he was giving me his winnings anyway so I could get some cross stitch stuff! So rather than stitching on LHN Chocolate Shoppe this afternoon I have been searching for fabric and thread to stitch this which is what I decided to buy. I saw this last night while looking on the Papillon Creations site and fell in love with it. So I have chosen Wichelt 28 count Fairy Dust to stitch it on so that is my £10 spent on fabby and chart. I decided that I fancied stitching it in reds so I chose a Vicki Clayton silk called Dragon Blood and have ordered three of those, which is what I'll need for the chart, plus a couple of others I fancied. I had pennies in Pay Pal to cover that. So I think that's it for me for stash for a bit now. LOL! I am not going to show my Dad I have bought but will wait until I have it stitched.


I had a bit of nice stitchy post today which was a complete surprise. Karen, unbeknown to me, had granted my wish on the SMO board for a VC silk to try. It's a lovely variegated colour called 1980 and it's gorgeous. I've been dowloading some complimentary charts to stitch with it:) Thank you so much Karen {{{{{{hugs}}}}}}


I finally went to the doctors yesterday. I saw a lady doctor I had never seen before and she was quite pleasant but I got the impression that she was wondering why I had gone! Lol! Anyway she thinks I am probably too young to be menopausal, for all I've been sterlised for the past nearly 12 years, was insisant I take a sample in for a pregnancy test, and wants me back for a blood test to check my whatever it is levels they check ( is is FSH) plus check my thyroid. So I go for that next Monday then will have to wait for the results and go back and see her. These past few mornings until about midday I have felt crap and would quite happily have gone and sat in a corner! Anyway I have now started, typical when I've been to the doctor!


Tomorrow I'm having my hair restyled and I can't wait. I am still not 100% sure how I want it doing but have pics to show my hairdresser and see what she thinks. Definitely having it shorter and I'd like to have more layers to give it some life hopefully. I promise to put a piccie up so that you can all see what it's like.


Better go and get some tea on the go as DH will be in from work soon. The girls are already home and Abi is proudly wearing her bronze award that she was given in assembly at school today:)

I'm Here!

At least I think I am! Either my hormones are playing up big style or I am losing my marbles. I am feeling better than I did as the dizziness I was experiencing has gone ( thank God) but I still feel crap if I'm honest. I still haven't started so that now makes me just over 4 weeks overdue so, no matter what, I'm going to the doctors tomorrow. I had a nice chat with my sister yesterday and she has told me to try Bioforce Menosan as that is what she takes ( well not now as she hasn't had a period for five years!) but I will have to see the doctor first and make sure I can take it with my prescribed medication and I could also do to know one way or the other if I am on "the change". I was very down yesterday and just felt like crying and I don't feel much different today.

Anyway enough of that. Time to look at what I've been stitching! On Saturday evening I finished all the cross stitching on part 3 of Chatelaine Christmas Mystery IV, then yesterday afternoon I sat at the dining room table and sewed all the beads on. I am happier now with the ribbon at the bottom and think it looks better now it's done and the tiny pinky coloured beads are on. I haven't added the crystal heart yet and am going to leave that off until the end. I must admit that I am loving this mystery now that I have got going with it. It's going to be so pretty and sparkly and it seems a shame just to have it on display at Christmas so I amy well end up keeping up all year round! Lol!

Last night I was going to get Chatelaine Summer Afternoon out early and do a bit on that but I was chatting to Lisa and she suggested something quick like San Man Origninals I Flip for the Ocean. I told her I couldn't be bothered to sort fabric and threads for it but then when I went to get my stitching out I thought how lazy is that! All I needed was about 4 threads and a small piece of fabric so I got the chart out and had a sort out. I stitched most of it last night and just had the tiniest bit of backstitch to finish this morning so here it is. It is stitched on 32 count fabric using the suggested DMC threads except for the backstitch as I chose to do it in blue rather than black. The charm came with the chart.

So Monday to Friday this week is Chatelaine Summer Afternoon with LHN Chocolate Shoppe on Wednesday afternoon! I am looking forward to getting into Summer Afternoon this week and hope to get plenty done.

I have just bought some fabric off Ebay from Sugar Maple Fabrics and am waiting for Mindy to send me a total including shipping. I love Mindy's fabrics but haven't had any for ages. I bought my last lot off Ebay and stitched some of the L*K Flip-it's on them. I can't wait to see what colours I get! Lol!

Well I'd better go and hang some more washing out while it is fine. It is looking very much like rain but it's supposed to a nice week here on the east coast! Have a good week!

Update on Winter

Thank you everybody for your comments. I am feeling much better today; still a bit off it but nowhere near what I was like on Thursday and yesterday. Helen said there was a bug going round so am hoping that is what I have had and it'll be out of my system soon. We have been to Morrison's grocery shopping this morning and I must admit I felt whacked just doing that. I can't be doing to be ill next week as I have an appointment to have my hair restyled and have been looking forward to it so much and I'm meeting up with Chris again on Friday.


Stitching wise I have managed to keep up with HAED Winter this week. I was determined to stitch somehow to try and take my mind of not feeling well so stitch I did and I got just over half a page done which I think is probably the most I've ever managed on a HAED in five days! Lol! I can hardly wait to pick her up again and get the page finished!

It's back to Chatelaine Christmas Mystery IV for the weekend and I hope to finish it so that I can move onto something else next weekend, just not sure what yet! Monday to Friday next week is Chatelaine Summer Afternoon.

I received my COTM from Sassy's Fabbys yesterday and it is gorgeous. It's called Lucious Lavender. As I said before I was hoping to stitch Just Nan Queen of the Needle on it but because of shrinkage during the dying process it is smaller than 13" x 18" so I daren't risk stitching it on it as even at 18" in length it was a bit too small but nothing out of the way.

Hope everybody is having a good weekend. I think we'll just be chilling although Jess is tidying her bedroom today! Lol!

I'm Not Well:(

Well I have had a really good this week. I have felt quite good about myself, felt quite well, then bang I am not feeling very well! Last night when I went up to bed I started feeling dizzy but thought I'd turned funny or something. When I got laid down it was a while before that feeling went off. Got up this morning to go for a shower and there was that feeling again. I sat on the edge of the bed for a bit, got up to go for a shower, changed my mind and got dressed instead! When the girls went off to school and DH had gone with his Dad for his hospital appointment I went and laid on the settee but I can't do that for long as I get really bored. If I can sleep it's not so bad. Anyway I have managed to get myself showered without falling over, made a quiche for tea and been out in the car with DH to take some stuff to the charity shop ( I wasn't driving I hasten to add) so thought I'd pop on here for a while. I am hoping to try and stitch for a bit later on.

I have been doing well with HAED Winter this week. I have managed 30 rows of page 2 and I'd love to get halfway down the page before she goes away. I have reallt been enjoying it this week and have got into it so much I don't think I'll want to leave it to move onto Christmas Mystery for the weekend then Chatelaine Summer Afternoon next week. I do want to keep with my rotation though as it's working really well for me as I'm getting stitching on a variety of things.

And speaking of HAEDs I have one on my wish list! LOL! All that talk of never buying another, although I haven't bought it! Lol! It's all Lisa's fault as she twisted my arm and made me look! Luv ya really Lisa!

Thank you to all of you who commented on the Christmas mystery. I am definitely going to carry on with ribbon as it is and see what else comes up. I am hoping to get the remaining stitching done at the weekend then get the beads on and will show another pic then.

From when I was tagged Claire asked "Who is your idol?" Well I'm sorry to say that I have no idea! I have wracked my brain and really can't think of anybody! Michele asked what is your favorite Beanie Baby, and why :) and who taught you to cross stitch? Choosing a favourite beanie baby is a difficult one and I can't pick just one! LOL! As I love angels ( and that is purely the reason why these are my favourites) I love Halo, Halo 2, Star and Herald. I taught myself to cross stitch. I fancied something different to do to knitting. When I was in the local shop I noticed some half price cross stitch kits, decided to give it a go and bought one of field mice.

That's it from me for now. Hopefully I'll return, feeling bright and cheeful and better, in a couple of days with my progress on Winter!

Chatelaine Christmas Mystery IV

This weekend I have stitched on Chatelaine Christmas Mystery IV and have already hit a bit of a low with it. I got the green on the inner frame stitched then decided to go onto the ribbon, or whatever it is, underneath the inner frame. Now I know Martina says that for it look like the original then you stitch in the fibres she suggests.Due to the cost of buying the correct threads I decided to go with her DMC conversion but I am really not happy with how it looks so far. I haven't finished the ribbon as yet but I have done over half of it and here it is. Is it just me or does this not look right? To me the shading is too drastic and not subtle enough. Here and here are ones stitched in the recommended silks and the shading is much better. I know they are variegated but surely there would have been a better DMC conversion than this. Having said that Julia is also stitching with DMC and here is hers on black and the shading doesn't look as drastic as mine. Oh well I will perservere with it. Martina must know better than I do as she is the designer!

This week I am back to stitching on HAED Winter by Sara Butcher. Those of you who know me from the HAED forum may well know that Sara is my favoutire artist and I have several of both her quick stitch and storykeep charts and have completed one so far. Winter is my first full sized piece and I am looking forward to getting stuck into page 2. I hope to do a little bit of stitching during the day to try and get a bit more done than I would just by stitching in an evening. It's going to take me a while to get to the angel but I am certainly looking forward to reaching her and stitching her face.

I decided that I have a bit of a dilemma, although now that I am unsure about the DMC conversion on my current Chatelaine the problem could well be solved. I absolutely love two charts, one was a former mystery and the other an online class I think, but there is no way I can buy and stitch both because they are large pieces and I just don't have the wall space. I had decided on Alpine Seasons when it's released but then I saw somebody's WIP pic of Evening in the Park and now I am stumped again! Maybe I should just not bother with either of them then that would solve the problem! LOL!

That's all from me for today. Thank you for all your wonderful comments. They really mean a lot to me and brighten up my days.

I Have Been Tagged!

I was tagged by Michele .. It's called Five Questions and Five Things...Here's how this works: For the first part, 5 Questions - anyone reading my blog can ask me five questions in the comments. I'll answer them in the blog as soon as time allows.For the second, Five Things About Me that I haven't revealed in my blog. Here are the rules: 1. Get tagged 2. List five things that have not been revealed on your blog 3. Tag five others. Here are 5 things about me ...

1. I love to collect Ty Beanie Baby Bears. It all started when DH's aunt bought me the birthday bear and it grew quite quickly from there. My collection has slowed considerably as the shop we used to buy them from has closed.
2. I used to work in a china glass and hardware shop and loved it.
3. I have been at stay at home Mum for 12 1/2 years.
4. My dream is to visit Hawaii. I have had a thing about the islands since school:)
5. I hate coffee! I used to drink it but when I was pregnant with my youngest DD I went off and have hardly touched it since. I am a tea lover.

Now to think of who to tag! OK Lisa, Heather, Claire, Karen and Nicola but only if you have time and would like to join in! LOL!

QUick Stitch Dragonette, Stash or No Stash

Wahooooooo!!! LOL! Can you tell I'm pleased? I finally managed to get page 1 of Heaven and Earth Quick Stitch Dragonette finished last night! Not only did I finish do that I also gridded page two of HAED Winter ready for next week, as that is the piece I'll be working on! I must say now that I've got page one of Dragonette done I feel better about it. You can clearly see little miss dragon's body and her wings. I actually think I like this piece now! If you'd like what it will look like click here The artwork is by Vicki Visconti- Tilley.

I am moving onto Chateline Christmas Mystery IV this weekend. I'm going to try and get all the stitching done then I can do the beading during the week.

To say I am now off the stash wagon I have'nt bought anything other than some Delica beads which I am splitting with Lisa and Julie. They are for the Chatelaine Lavender Mandala from the October issue of The Gift of Stitching. I do have some bits on order from Jayne's Attic, which Jayne is ordering in for me. She has kindly said she'd look for a wire hanger for me at Newcastle Show in a couple of weeks if she gets chance to leave her stand! LOL! I have ordered the Chatelaine Mini Mandala 1 from her as well as a couple of Vicki Clayton silks which I am using instead of Caron Waterlilies and Thread Gatherer Silk N Colors. I am also looking forward to receiving my COTM from Sassy's Fabbys. It's up on her website and it is just gorgeous. I think Just Nan Queen of the Needle would look lovely on it but I will wait and see when I get the fabby! Here's the fabby and here's Queen of the Needle. What do you think?

Thank you to everybody who commented on my last post! I know that I am not hearing the patter of tiny feet as I was steralised nearly 12 years ago! My DH doesn't think I need to go the doctors because it can't be anything else but the menopause. Typical man!

I have finally got my new glasses and I'm struggling with them while I'm using the PC! I can see perfectly well when I look at letters, mags etc but the letters on the PC screen don't look quite right. I guess I'll get used to them in time. We'll see how I get on stitching tonight.

Chocolate Shoppe and Stuff!

As yesterday was the LHN Chocolate Shoppe SAL I spent most of the afternoon stitching on that. I am quite pleased with what I got done and I really like how it looks so far. I do like it on the fabric colour but I can't for the life of me remember what it is as I've had it years! LOL!

Rebecca I hope this does not make you crave chocolate too much! LOL! Must admit I was craving it big style yesterday and Abi had asked me to get her a bar of Galaxy to give to her friend for her birthday! How I managed not to eat it I will never know!

I am having a hard time debating what to keep on my wish list and what to take off! I can't possibly buy all those and stitch them. For one I don't have the wall space and for another some stitching supplies are getting rather expensive. I know that it's lovely to stitch with silks but let's face it the Caron and Thread Gatherer silks are way out of a lot of people's leagues now. I have been looking at Vicki Clayton silks and have chosen a couple of hers to use on two of the charts I want to stitch in the not too distant future and I think I'll continue to sub if I can. I certainly don't want to give my hobby up and would go back to using DMC on everything if I had to and that is getting expensive here in the UK. I pay 60p a skein for it at the local arts and crafts shop. It amazes me when the stuff is made in France and it's cheaper for me to buy it from the States than it is here. I had found somewhere that did it much cheaper in the UK but he has closed his business which is a real shame.

I ended up not getting both pairs of glasses! They both needed altering in the arms so I waited patiently while the lady went off to that and when she came back she looked rather embarrassed. It turned out that she'd broken one of the arms off my normal reading glasses and they didn't have another pair of those frames in stock so that they could replace it! So I have to wait about four days for them to get more in, which will mean another trip to Beverley. It's not that far but when you don't want to go for anything else plus petrol being the price it is.

I am feeling a bit shaky and achey today. So typical when I actually feel quite upbeat for a change! LOL! I am three weeks overdue and don't know what to do about it. Do I go the doctors or do I just get on with it. At my age they are probably just going to assume I'm menopausal!